Motel Monday - Sometimes It Storms

Desert Sun

Like any good traveler, I check the weather before heading out on a road trip. If it's definitely going to rain all weekend or snow, there's just no point in going. A few trips to Los Angeles have already been cancelled this year due to weather... yes, it does rain in Southern California.

Last fall there was a chance that tropical storm Hillary would cause some problems in Tucson, Arizona. If it rained at all, it wasn't going to be until much later on Saturday, and Mesa was supposed to be clear on Sunday. I decided the wealth of vintage neon signs was worth the risk and we took off on Friday night for Tucson. Saturday morning was beautiful, but there was too much neon in Tuscon for me to shoot it all before Hillary blew in. By the time we made it to West Miracle Mile the clouds had rolled in and I was getting pelted by dirt and pebbles that had been picked up by the wind.

Miracle Mile has several beautiful vintage neon signs but I was only able to shoot three of them before the wind became too much. Of the three, this photograph of the Sun Land Motel is the only one that makes the Retro Roadside Photography cut. I usually prefer blue skies, but there's just something about the moodiness of this shot that I enjoy. 

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie